This is a quilt for the Association of Pacific West Quilters (APWQ) 2011/2012 invitational traveling show. The theme is “The Spirit of the West.” Hawaii and many western states and parts of Canada have been added to the member states of APWQ this year. The West is a young part of our country and is a mixture of many cultures, much like our grandchildren.

I was inspired by a photo of my Granddaughter Maile (My Lee) wearing her Grandpa’s cowboy hat. Maile’s Mama was raised in Texas and her daddy was raised in Hawaii. Maile has been known to wear a hula skirt with whatever she happens to have on. She has her own special style.

This quilt is silk/cotton hand painted with inks and hand appliquéd. I machine quilted it free motion with a basic home machine. If you look closely you will see a mountain, lake, evergreens and palm trees, birds, as well as children’s foot prints and stars in the quilting.

This quilt will travel around the country for the next year and will be auctioned off at APWQ’s 2012 quilt show as a fund raiser.

This is a baby quilt for my Grandson Evan. His dad was born and raised in Hawaii and this was the perfect way to announce the birth of his son. The quilt is all hand appliqué, hand painted and machine quilted. The Maile leaf lei is inspired by Evan’s older sister Maile. I quilted in turtles, birds; geckos and baby foot prints all over the quilt.

I work mostly by hand because I enjoy the peacefulness and the control it gives me. I come to quilting from a background of decorative painting and sculpting Santas. Most of my quilts are originals featuring children based on my grandchildren. I never took a traditional quilting class. I credit my Muses which I call my Quilting Angels (quilting ancestors) for guiding me through my work. I have learned to put my trust in them and never question or hold back.

From the moment my friend showed me the Hawaiian Kids coloring book by Meri Ishakowa I knew that I had to do this quilt for my grandson. I normally do originals but I was able to contact the publisher Island publishing and get permission to use this image. It took me a year and a half to finish this quilt because I wouldn’t settle for less than exactly the image in my mind no matter how long it took. Because of that, I finished it within two weeks of the deadline for the AQS show in Paducah Kentucky. I didn’t have time to second guess or shy away. I just sent in the paper work. This quilt was juried into the 2011 show in Paducah and I am going to be there. My husband Andy insisted I make my reservations the same week I sent in the application. I put up an objection but, followed his advice. I am here to tell the world that MY HUSBAND was RIGHT.

Sharyn Mellors, an award-winning folk artist and quilter, will present a trunk show of her work and discuss her unique creative process at the NQC’s March 13 meeting at the Lynden Community Center. Inspired by her quilting angels, Sharyn lets her quilts develop as she works. Her distinctive style of quilting—with painted faces and other original techniques—draws on her experience as a doll designer and tole painter.

She likes to “make quilts that make others smile.” Her quilts have won several awards, including her “Star Dancer for the Cure,” which is in the permanent collection of Whidbey General Hospital. Her Whidbey Island studio was featured in Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine. She is currently working on her first quilting book.

Sharyn Mellors will speak on Saturday, March 13, at the Lynden Community Center, 401 Grover St, Lynden, WA (Google Map) . The program starts at 10:00 am, as part of the Northwest Quilting Connection meeting. The program is free to members; a donation is requested from non-members.

The Northwest Quilting Connection is a group of Northwest quilters who meet 6 times per year to learn more about the art of quilting, to connect with other quilters, and to share knowledge about quilting arts, techniques, and quilt artists.

The Pacific International Quilt Festival has selected the quilt, “ENTERING EGGBERT” by Sharyn Mellors of Ledgewood Beach, to be hung and judged in the Pacific international Quilt competition. The Festival will take place October 15th through 18th in the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, California.

“ENTERING EGGBERT” is a hand painted and hand appliquéd pictorial quilt depicting a small boy entering his best friend, Eggbert the rooster, into the county fair of days gone by. The boy is complete with his red wagon full of hay and slingshot sticking out of his back pocket. The 41” x 36 ½” wall hanging has won two Best of Show awards, a People’s choice, Award of Merit and several other ribbons locally. This quilt may be viewed at http://www.whidbeystudios.com

Sharyn is a member of Quilters on the Rock and Fidalgo Island Quilters quilt guilds. She considers herself a FABRIC FOLK ARTIST

Original designed hand painted, hand appliquéd and machine thread painted and quilted

By Sharyn Mellors

August 2008

Update: Please see this Press Release for more information regarding Entering Eggbert.

The theme for the challenge was County fair. I wanted to represent the county fair of days gone by. The day after I got the challenge a photo of my grandson Emmet arrived and it touched me. Emmet was listening to music but I could see the look on his face as that of a little boy who was entering his best friend Eggbert in the fair. After all he was the very best rooster in the whole universe you know.

Eggbert is a combination of several different chicken breeds and my imagination. The wagon and slingshot just had to be there too as little boy’s constant companions. But the background gave me fits. I kept changing it from one farm scene to another.

I have always said that I have quilting angels who take over and guide my mind and hands. Well this time they really did. I saw a sign”quilt show today” and knew that it had to be in the quilt. Not wanting to make a bunch of teeny tiny quilts I was given the idea to use photo transfers of my own quilts. It was not till I was ready to do the final quilting that I realized what my quilting angels were trying to tell me. The boy entering his best friend is exactly like us quilters entering our hearts made of cloth in a show. Each to be admired and judged by others

Awards & Recognition:

Best of Show, Best of Division, Best of Lot and First place Ribbons – Skagit County Fair (2009)

April 2004
10 ½ inches square
This tiny duck may not be able to fly in perfect formation and her technique may not be perfect. But, when she tries really hard she can still fly.
I made this little quilt was my first entry into a quilt show. It is 10 ½ inches square and has 221 pieces in it. I am the duck among all the perfect pointed quilters. My theory was that if you make the quilt tiny enough the points couldn’t be that far off and nobody would notice the imperfections.

April 2008
This is actually two quilts. The puppet show was made for my granddaughter Maile because her cousins Aiden and Emmet enjoyed their puppet show so. The two boys and the puppet is actually another separate quilt which I made so that I could put the puppet show in the FIQ Quilt show. They are both originals. The boys are painted on cloth with extensive thread work for the hair. The puppet show will hang in a doorway with tension rods and grow with the child.

Sharyn Mellors has been creating things from her imagination ever since she was a small child when her grandmother made her learn to sew because Sharyn wouldn’t leave the treadle alone on the sewing machine.She wasn’t always a wiz at sewing as demonstrated by the “D” she got in Junior high sewing class when she sneezed and the pleated skirt that she had just made fell apart.

For 21 years Sharyn and her husband Andy traveled around the country where ever the Air force sent them.They raised two children along the way while she earned a degree in Accounting and becoming a CPA.Each state had a different craft to discover.She learned ceramics, china painting, and tole and decorative painting.She taught as well as designed, authored and published painting patterns with world-wide distribution.She was a featured artist in “Creative Painting USA “and “ToleWorld” magazines.

In Washington State she saw her first hand sculpted Santa.It made her smile and she somehow figured that she could do it too.A video tape by Doll Artist Jack Johnston gave her the right direction and off she went.She showed at juried art shows all over Western Washington including Christmas in Seattle in the Kingdome.Her funny Santas won awards including best in category and several first place ribbons.

All of these art forms were wonderful fun but it wasn’t till she and her husband ran away to Whidbey Island and found quilting that she found a home. With quilting came Guilds and the like spirited artist who could give friendship, support encouragement and competition. All of these make for a better artist.Quilting also gave her the ability to pay forward the blessings of being the daughter and niece of cancer survivors by making chemo quilts.With the coming of grandchildren quilting gave her a way to wrap her love around them for many years and create lasting memories.

Sharyn considers herself a folk artist.All of her quilts are hand appliquéd one of a kind originals.Her quilts have won several awards. Her studio was a gift from Andy for their 30th wedding anniversary.It was featured in the January/February 2008 Quilters Newsletter.Her award winning quilt “Star Dancer for the Cure” is hanging in the permanent collection of the MAC unit of Whidbey General Hospital.Most of her quilts are given away.

Sharyn’s artist statement

Smile

Life is too short.

My work is made to make people young and old stop, take a breath and SMILE.

No matter if I am making a Chemo quilt for a cancer patient, an elaborate sculpted Santa, a challenge quilt or a toy for my grandchildren.If you look at my work and smile I have done my job.

This year’s Blue Ribbon Quiltfest celebrates the 11th anniversary of the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum. The festival will be held Sept. 26, 27 & 28, 10am-5pm, in La Conner and offers many quilting-related festivities:

La Conner Quilt Walk: In anticipation of the Quilt Festival, beautiful quilts handcrafted by FIDALGO ISLAND QUILTERS (FIQ) of Anacortes are on display in many downtown La Conner shops Sept. 1 – 30. Participating merchants will display “Quilt Walk Sponsor” signs to invite visitors inside to enjoy the quilts and the shops displaying them. MAPS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE PARTICIPATING SHOPS AND AT THE QUILT MUSEUM.

Show & Tell Dinner: The third annual Show & Tell Dinner will be held Friday, Sept. 26, 6:00 pm, at La Conner Seafood & Prime Rib Restaurant ($25/person). This delightful event is attended by our workshop instructors, festival attendees, Quiltfest show quiltmakers, and friends of the Museum, all of whom are encouraged to bring “show and tell” items to share. Our special speaker is Judy Irish who will share her Quilting humor with us. Please join us at this dinner to honor the Past Presidents of the Museum; call the Museum at 360-466-4288 by Sept. 22 to make paid reservations.

Workshops: Internationally known teachers Judy Irish (teaching “Threadplay…. Fun & Fancy Machine Quilting” & “Living on the Raw Edge), Anita Luvera Mayer (teaching “Vested Interest” and “Mudpies for Adults”) and Roxanne Carter (teaching “Pathway to the Stars” and “Oriental Stars”) have some spaces left in their classes, so sign up today! Workshop fee of $75 includes all-day class plus lunch and admission to the shows. Call the Museum at 360-466-4288 to register online or download a workshop registration form from the FAQ page on our website, www.laconnerquilts.com

Blue Ribbon Quilt Show at Maple Hall: Our “Encore!: Another Blue Ribbon Show” is an encore presentation, featuring more quilts that have won awards at national shows or contests. This show should again be both awesome and inspiring! Quilt exhibits and specialty vendors will be featured at Maple Hall and the Gaches Mansion plus we have added the Civic Garden Club to our venue; admission to ALL THREE venues is $8.00.

Gaches Mansion Exhibits: “TRADITIONAL PIECING WITH ETHIC AND HAND-DESIGNED FABRIC” BY REYNOLA PAKUSICH and “SIX STORIES” AN EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY ART TEXTILES” BY SIX ARTISTS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM AND CANADA, are the current exhibits on display during the Quilt Festival. Specialty vendors will also be highlighted.

Specialty Vendors: Boutique vendors offering unique gifts and quilting supplies will display their goods at Gaches Mansion and Maple Hall. Festival attendees can view the exciting exhibits and shop with these specialty vendors at ALL THREE venues for JUST $8.00.

Silent Auction: This enjoyable auction, held annually during the Quilt Festival, offers quilting and other textile treasures — books, patterns, sewing equipment, notions, fabric, unfinished blocks, knitting supplies, handmade pieces, vintage items, and all sorts of other goodies. Please plan to join us – as a bidder, a donor, a volunteer, or all three!

The La Conner Quilt and Textile Museum is one of only thirteen quilt museums in the entire country and is housed in the turn-of-the-century Gaches Mansion, an historic landmark at 703 South 2nd Street in La Conner, WA. The Museum’s annual quilt festival is a community outreach event that helps raise awareness and funding to support this worthwhile non-profit organization.

Please plan to participate in this year’s fun-tastic quilt festival celebrating the Museum’s eleventh anniversary. You may contact the Museum at 360-466-4288 or visit our website at www.laconnerquilts.com for additional information.